Cable tie

Abstract

A cable tie includes an elongated strap and a buckle connected to one end of the strap and having an aperture for receiving the other end of the strap. Preferably, the strap has adjacent the buckle a connecting portion which has a width less than that of the remaining portion of the strap. In an alternative form of the invention, the strap has a plurality of spaced-apart projections formed on and extending longitudinally on the opposite side surfaces thereof except a connecting portion adjacent the buckle. In a further modification of the invention, the strap has a series of ridges formed on and extending longitudinally on a bundle engaging surface. The ridges are adapted to prevent slipping movements between the strap and the bundle in both longitudinal and circumferential directions of the bundle of wires or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cable tie adapted to be tightened around a bundle of wires or the like by a tensioning device and fixed to a tie mounting hole of a vehicle body or the like, said cable comprising: a longitudinally elongate strap having opposed surfaces, said strap being flexible and of a substantially fixed length, a series of teeth formed on and extending longitudinally on one surface thereof;   said strap having a longitudinally elongate linearly extending band portion with opposed first and second ends, a strap connecting portion integral with said band portion at said first end, and a strap leading end portion integral with said band portion at said second end;   a buckle integrally connected to said strap connecting portion remote from said band portion, said buckle having means defining an aperture therethrough generally perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of said strap for receiving said strap, a pawl disposed within said aperture and adapted to engage one of said teeth of said strap when said strap is looped around a bundle, and a locking leg integrally connected to said buckle and extending in a direction opposite to the direction in which said strap extends for engagement within a mounting hole;   the improvement wherein, when said cable tie is in a relaxed state prior to engagement around a bundle, said strap connecting portion extends longitudinally beyond and at an angle laterally relative to the longitudinal extent of said strap band portion with said buckle positioned at a predetermined location spaced both laterally and longitudinally from said strap band portion by said connecting portion.   
     
     
       2. The cable tie as defined in claim 1, wherein said strap connecting portion has a width less than that of the remaining portions. 
     
     
       3. The cable tie as defined in claim 1, wherein the connecting portion of said strap has a width equal to that of said strap band portion, and wherein said strap band portion has opposed longitudinal edges with a plurality of spaced-apart projections formed on and extending longitudinally on said side edges, said connecting portion being free of said projections and defining a width less than the combined width of said band portion and said side edge projections thereon. 
     
     
       4. A cable tie adapted to be tightened around a bundle of wires or the like by a tensioning device and fixed to a tie mounting hole of a vehicle body or the like, the tensioning device including a tie guiding mechanism having a pair of spaced-apart strap guide rails, and a strap feeding mechanism having a pair of toothed rollers, said cable tie comprising; a longitudinally elongate strap formed of synthetic plastic material and having opposed surfaces, said strap being flexible but unstretchable and having a series of teeth formed on and extending longitudinally on one surface thereof which will be outside when the cable tie is tightened around the bundle of wires or the like;   said strap having a longitudinally elongate linearly extending band portion with opposed first and second ends, a strap connecting portion integral with said band portion at said first end, and a strap leading end portion integral with said band portion at said second end;   a buckle of synthetic plastic material integrally connected to said strap connecting portion remote from said band portion, said buckle having means defining an aperture therethrough generally perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of said strap for receiving said strap, a pawl disposed within said aperture and adapted to engage one of said teeth of said strap when said strap is looped around the bundle of wires or the like, and a locking leg integrally connected to said buckle and extending in a direction opposite to the direction in which said strap extends, said locking leg being resiliently engageable with the tie mounting hole of the vehicle body or the like;   the improvement wherein, when said cable tie is in a relaxed state prior to engagement around a bundle, said strap connecting portion extends longitudinally beyond and at an angle laterally relative to the longitudinal extent of said strap band portion with said buckle positioned at a predetermined lateral location spaced from said strap band portion by said connecting portion whereby as said band portion is guided along the strap guide rails of the feed mechanism, said buckle moves along therewith laterally of the guide rails.   
     
     
       5. The cable tie as defined in claim 4, wherein said strap connecting portion has a width less than that of the remaining portions of said strap for lateral extension of said connecting portion between the strap guide rails of the tie guiding mechanism with said remaining portion of said strap slidably, retained in said guide rails. 
     
     
       6. The cable tie as defined in claim 4, wherein the connecting portion of said strap has a width equal to that of said strap band portion, and wherein said strap band portion has opposed longitudinal edges with a plurality of spacedapart projections formed on and extending longitudinally on said side edges for engagement by the toothed rollers of the strap feeding mechanism, said connecting portion being free of said projections and defining a width less than the combined width of said band portion and said side edge projections thereon.